Lorenzo-Vera can’t get up and down for his par. A closing bogey, but a fine 68, and he’s in the thick of it going into Moving Day. Hope you can join us for that. Thanks for reading!
-8: Li
-6: Fleetwood, Day, Berger, Koepka, Rose, Lorenzo-Vera
-5: Champ, Casey, Todd
-4: Griffin, Schauffele, D Johnson, Wiesberger, Noren, Steele
Lorenzo-Vera decides to take his medicine and hit a short iron from the rough, instead of going for the green. But he gets a flyer and sends his ball into the bunkers to the right of the dancefloor. Turns out he could probably have made it after all. Well isn’t this quite the dramatic end to a long day!
Dahmen can’t make the putt, and it’s an awful triple-bogey seven to finish. It’s still a 68, but he drops from -6, where he’d tie for third, to -3, where he ties for 17th. Ooyah, oof, golf. Back on the tee, second-placed Lorenzo-Vera will be hoping to avoid a similar collapse. He pulls his drive into the thick rough down the left. He’s not started well.
A bit of a shocker for Joel Dahmen coming down 9. His drive finds thick rubbish down the left. He can only hack his second a few yards further into filth. His third finds a fairway bunker, and his fourth flies through the green and lands atop a hillock at the back. He flops a fine chip back down to eight feet, but that’ll be a real tester for double bogey.
Lorenzo-Vera finds the middle of the long par-three 8th. He rakes a long birdie effort four feet past the hole. He makes the par putt, and four down the last will see him in the last group with Li tomorrow afternoon.
Lorenzo-Vera can’t get up and down from a bunker to the side of the short par-four 7th. He’s -7. A good chance to grab a share of the lead is spurned. Meanwhile on 8, Joel Dahmen chips in to rise to -6. It’s a crowded leader board now!
-8: Li
-7: Lorenzo-Vera (16*)
-6: Fleetwood, Day, Berger, Koepka, Rose, Dahmen (17*)
-5: Champ, Casey, Todd
-4: Griffin, Schauffele, D Johnson, Wiesberger, Noren, Steele
Thomas sends his second at 18 just over the back. He’ll have to get up and down to stay the weekend. He nearly holes the chip, and taps in for a 70 that keeps him here tomorrow. He’s +1. Relief. Tiger and Rory meanwhile have both wedged to 15 feet or so. Tiger up first. He stabs with uncertainty to the left. Par. Rory next. He misses on the low side. Par. A 72 for Tiger, who goes into Moving Day at level par. A 69 for Rory, who is -1, and will be ruing that triple on 12.
Dustin Johnson misses a short par putt, however, and he ends the day with a 67. A sad denouement to a fine round. He’s well set at -4. And it’s also a miserable finish for Jordan Spieth, who cards his only bogey of the day at the last. A 68 which at least means he’ll survive the cut at +1.
Justin Rose is always a little bit out of position coming up 18. But he battles in his trademark style, and grinds out an excellent par for a fine 68 to go alongside yesterday’s 66. He’s -6 and perfectly poised for an enjoyable weekend.
Thomas finds the bunker to the right of the 18th fairway. Both Rory and Tiger send their drives down the middle. Belated news, meanwhile of former champ Martin Kaymer, who shot a fine 66 yesterday. Today? Eight bogeys, one double and a triple en route to a 12-over 82. A 16-shot swing in 24 hours! It can happen to the best of them, kids. I wish I would remember this when I’m shanking balls into thickets.
Gary Woodland pars the last to sign for a 72. He’s -1 at the halfway stage. Today’s round unravelled after a bogey, double-bogey double-whammy at 12 and 13. Two putts for Mike Lorenzo-Vera at 6; he remains at -6. And it’s pars all round for Tiger (E), Rory (-1) and JT (+1) at 17. Those three stars will all be here for the weekend providing they keep it together down 18.
Koepka rolls in his birdie putt! Exactly what that wonderful second shot deserved. He signs for a 68, to go alongside yesterday’s 66. He goes into Moving Day at -6, and as things stand, he’ll be in the third-last group tomorrow afternoon.
Lorenzo-Vera flays his drive at 6 miles wide of the trees down the left. He whips a lovely second over the tops and onto the green. The sort of European escape that should save his par. Meanwhile on 18, Shane Lowry lets out a weary sigh, scrambling a par that set the seal on a 72 and ensures he’ll be here this weekend. He’s level par.
Koepka’s drive at 18 ends up by the side of a fairway bunker. He’s got to stand in the trap, miles below the ball, so grips down the shaft and lashes greenwards. It’s one of the shots of the week, landing pin high, eight feet away, from 165 yards. What he’d give for a closing birdie here!
Rose fails to make his short birdie putt on 16. Shame, after playing the hole so cleverly. He remains at -6. Coming up behind, Justin Thomas, who shapes a lovely stinger around the trees, right to left, and leaves a 25-foot eagle putt. That ends up a couple of turns short, but he’s tapping in for a birdie that will save his skin for the weekend, should he par home. He’s +1. Tiger gives himself a cushion with birdie that takes him back to level. And Rory makes it three, and he’s back in red figures at -1. All is not lost yet for this marquee group.
Li is still on the range! He’ll get a good night’s sleep, if nothing else. Perhaps this is a way to ensure exactly that, so the nerves don’t overwhelm him and keep him up until goodness knows when.
Par for Thomas at 15, though after a bogey, double-bogey nightmare at 12 and 13, he’s still on the wrong side of the cut line. Tiger’s second meanwhile lands in thick nonsense over the back of the green. He can only hack out to the centre of the green - his ball was so deeply embedded there was little point in trying to be cute - and the resulting 30-foot par putt is too much to ask. He’s +1, right on that cut line.
Dustin Johnson follows Rose’s lead on 16, playing conservatively off the tee (!!!) and spinning his second back towards the cup. He nearly holes out for eagle, but he’ll tap in for a birdie that takes him to -5.
Rose doesn’t go for the green on the short par-four 16th, instead setting himself up for a full wedge in. He lands it 30 feet past the hole, and sends it spinning back to six feet. That’s intelligent course management, and he’ll have that putt to join Lorenzo-Vera in second spot.
Daniel Berger gives himself a 15-foot birdie chance on 18. It doesn’t drop, but the par gives him a 67 that sets himself up nicely for Moving Day.
-8: Li (F)
-7: Lorenzo-Vera (13)
-6: Fleetwood (F), Day (F), Berger (F), Rose (15)
Back on the par-five 4th, Mike Lorenzo-Vera pulls his second into a greenside bunker. He’s livid, spinning around and dancing, but then he splashes out to 12 inches and taps in for his birdie. The 35-year-old Frenchman, who had a good run last year at Bethpage Black, is one off the lead at -7!
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Another birdie for Justin Rose, this time at 15, and he moves up to -6. He’s going round with Dustin Johnson, who has birdied 10, 13 and now 15 to drag himself into contention at -4. And the third member of the group, the woefully out of form Jordan Spieth, has hauled himself back to level par for the tournament after birdies at 5, 7 and 10. You wouldn’t put it past Spieth to launch a birdie blitz from deep in the pack tomorrow. What a time that would be to rediscover his spark.
The leader Li Haotong finished his round nearly six hours ago. Since then, he’s decamped to the range and he’s still out there practising! The mere sight has sent Sky pundit Paul McGinley into apoplexy. “Even Padraig Harrington wouldn’t put in these hours!” Some statement right there. It’ll be interesting to see how Li’s energy levels, mental as much as physical, keep up during the weekend.
Koepka is down getting his back manipulated yet again. This is a big concern for the defending champion, as well as everyone who’d love to see him in the thick of it down the stretch on Sunday. Stay healthy, big man. Meanwhile there’s some welcome news at last for Lowry, who birdies 15 to give himself a little cushion against the cut. He’s back to level par.
A greenside bunker snaffles Daniel Berger’s tee shot at 17. His splash out is decent; his short par saver is not. A bogey that restores Li’s two-shot lead. Koepka does astonishingly well to manufacture a Mickelsonesque flop from the rough at the back of 15, and he remains at -5. That’s a real momentum saver. And up on 18, Jason Day pars to sign for an excellent 69, the only real blemish that careless double bogey on 12. He goes into the weekend a couple off the lead at -6.
Lorenzo-Vera rolls in his birdie putt on 3. That’s the least he deserved after nearly acing. He’s just a couple off at -6. Meanwhile bogey for Tiger on 13, and he slips to level par.
Koepka is getting a little ragged. From the centre of 15, he pulls an awful wedge into the thick stuff back-left of the green. He’s shortsided, and hacking out of proper cabbage. This looks like a second bogey in three holes. But hello! What’s this? Justin Rose chips in from the side of 14, one of those that would have bounded 20 feet past had it not hit the flag and fallen straight down. It’s a birdie that takes him back to -5.
A sorry end to Tony Finau’s round. From a tight spot to the side of 18, he flicks a glorious chip to three feet. But he tugs at the par putt, and it’s a giveaway bogey at the death. It’s a level-par 70, and he goes into Moving Day at -3.
Berger crashes his drive to the back of the short par-four 16th green. He leaves his eagle putt six feet short, but makes the tricky birdie effort and moves into second place on his own at -7. Meanwhile back on the par-three 3rd, Mike Lorenzo-Vera nearly sails his 5-iron straight in for a hole-in-one, but the ball rolls past, an inch to the left, and ends up 15 feet past. That was very, very close indeed.
Birdie for Mike Lorenzo-Vera at 2; birdie for Alex Noren at 4. Both rise to -5. An interesting old leaderboard now.
-8: Li (F)
-6: Fleetwood (F), Day (17), Berger (15)
-5: Champ (F), Casey (F), Todd (F), Koepka (13), Wiesberger (13*), Noren (13*), Dahmen (11*), Lorenzo-Vera (11*)
McIlroy gives it way too much on the right, and he’ll be dropping a couple of strokes here. He looks livid, having done so much to get back into this. And then complete disaster, as he yips from two feet. A triple-bogey seven, and he clatters all the way down the leaderboard to level par again. Bogey for Thomas, too; he’s back to level. Par for Tiger, who remains at -1, and you can still hear those folk back at the tee whooping him on. Meanwhile up on 13, it’s another bogey for Lowry as expected, and he’s +1, right on the cut line.
Rory’s chip up from the swale at the back of 12 checks. What he’d give for another bounce, one more roll. He’s left with a six-foot bogey putt on a sloping green. Big putt coming up.
Koepka isn’t moving freely right now, and he’s out of position to the right of 13. A hot chip past the flag leaves a 12-footer coming back for par. He can’t make it. Bogey, and he’s back to -5. Meanwhile back on 12, Rory loses his second way left, and he’s stuck up a hillock. He throws a lob onto the green, but can’t hold it, and he’s off the back. This is almost certainly an end of his forward momentum.
Shane Lowry has dropped four strokes in the last five holes, and as a result is on a rolling boil. His second at 13, from rough down the left, clips a branch. So he snaps his iron over his knee. That club was destroyed with some force, and he rubs his leg in a slightly sheepish manner afterwards. Sure enough, golf being golf, he nearly trundles his third straight into the cup for birdie. But the ball rattles ten feet past, and he’s odds-on to drop yet another shot. Weekend participation appears a pipe dream the way he’s going.
Tiger hits driver at 12. The tee box is by the boundary fence, and a crowd has gathered to give their hero some support. “C’mon Tiger, let’s go baby!” You can lock the gates with a pandemic raging, but they’ll still come from far and wide to see and cheer on the great man.
Koepka is down again, which is rather worrying. He’s getting his back manipulated by the physio in the grand style. The sort of moves that would tie your average punter’s spine in knots, leaving it looking like a treble clef. Hopefully this looks much more serious than it actually is. Nevertheless, let’s take no chances: fingers crossed the champion can defend his title.
McIlroy only just reaches the front of the par-three 11th. He leaves his 70-footer a good ten feet short ... but knocks in the par putt to maintain his momentum. He remains at -3. Up on 14, Berger risks bogey with a heavy-handed chip, but rolls in the 12-footer coming back to hang on at -6.
Another shot gone for Shane Lowry, who looks a defeated man right now. He has to roll in a 15-footer to limit the damage to bogey at 12, and he’s back to level par. From looking like taking a tilt at the title, he’s in danger of missing the cut unless he gets his act together toot sweet.
An on-the-hour leaderboard. And it’s star-packed, with all your favourite pals!
-8: Li (F)
-6: Fleetwood (F), Day (14), Berger (13), Koepka (11)
-5: Champ (F), Casey (F), Todd (F), Rose (11), Wiesberger (11), Dahmen (10)
-4: Schauffele (13), Cauley (13), Morikawa (12), Noren (11), Steele (10), Lorenzo-Vera (9)
-3: Wolff (F), Matsuyama (F), Kim (F), Scheffler (17), Woodland (11), McIlroy (10)
Wiesberger is on the charge, too. A third birdie in a row, this one at 2, and he’s -5. This second round had gone a wee bit flat for an hour or two back there, but recently it’s exploded back into life. Goodness knows what Moving Day is going to be like.
McIlroy is a dimple away from draining his eagle putt at 10. But it’s four birdies in a row, and he’s suddenly in the thick of this tournament, after looking down and out! He’s -3. Thomas does extremely well to get up and down from the thick stuff at the back, and he returns to -1. But Tiger leaves his eagle putt ten feet short. Happily, he’s been given a read by Rory, so in goes the birdie effort, and he’s -1 again. Meanwhile Day can’t take advantage of his lucky break on 14, but he escapes with his par, something that was far from given when his approach was sailing through the air to the right of the green.
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Man down! It’s Koepka, who has felt something in his back. He calls for his physio, who yanks his leg hither and yon, and soon enough the big man’s back up and more supple than ever. Phew. It’d be a miserable state of affairs if his defence was compromised, or even worse ended, by injury.
Rory’s 344-yard drive on 10 is the longest at that hole today. He smooths his second onto the green and will have a look at eagle from 50 feet or so. Tiger’s also on in two, but Thomas, still seething from the abomination on the last green, sends his drive into the rough down the left, meaning he gets a flier with his second, and he’s through the back in deep nonsense. Meanwhile bounceback birdie for Rose at 10. He’s -5 again.
A huge stroke of luck for Day on 14, as he pushes his second way right of the green ... only for the ball to take a massive break left and end up pin high on the dancefloor! Back on 11, Koepka leaves a 35-foot putt way short, foxed by the camber of the green, a hump jutting in from the left, but he rolls in the 12-footer that remains. What a massive escape! He remains at -6.
Collin Morikawa drains a 50-footer on 11. It’s his fourth birdie of the day, and suddenly he’s -4. Bernd Wiesberger is going along impressively, too, screeching his second at 1 to kick-in distance from 100 yards. He’s -4 as well.
Up on 10, Shane Lowry misses a short one to bogey a hole most players are making birdie on. He drops to -1 and needs to arrest the slide after three bogeys in a row. On 12, Daniel Berger shoves a short one wide to slip back to -6. But it’s not catching everywhere. McIlroy makes it three birdies on the bounce at 9, taking his time over a three footer after watching the antics of Thomas. Just reward for a 200-yard iron whisked so close. He’s -2, and this is a highly impressive recovery from a player who has been so out of sorts lately.
Weekend hackers take heart. The world number one, Justin Thomas, three-putts from six feet. He walks off red-faced, a mixture of embarrassment and anger, a birdie chance turned into bogey in a couple of rushes of blood. He’s level par again. He’d played the hole - a hellishly difficult long par-four - so well from tee to green, too. Supposedly the hardest bit. Golf right there, ladies and gentlemen.
Koepka’s putt shaves the right-hand edge of the cup. Birdie is fine, though he tosses and catches his ball in frustration, knowing that glorious 4-iron deserved so much better. He’s -6. Meanwhile back on 9, Tiger visits a couple of bunkers and that’s his second bogey of the day. He hits the turn in 37, back to level par, and may soon need to start thinking about the cut, likely to fall at +1.
Rose trundles a heavy-handed chip 15 feet past the flag at 9. He can’t make the par putt coming back, and he’s -4 again. Meanwhile up on 10, Koepka sends his drive into the second cut down the right, but is still able to lash a stunning 4-iron pin high, setting up an eagle chance from 12 feet.
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Day double-bogeys 12. He zig-zags his way up the hole, always in the rough, always out of position. His flop onto the green isn’t particularly close, and having missed his par putt, he then yips from a couple of feet. Expensive. Especially as Daniel Berger creams his tee shot at 7 over the flag, then strokes a 12-footer coming back into the cup for back-to-back birdies. All change at the top!
-8: Li (F)
-7: Berger (11)
-6: Fleetwood (F), Day (12)
Some better news for Irish golf fans: Rory McIlroy has rediscovered his touch. He follows birdie at 7 with an uphill trundler from 25 feet at 8, picking up a shot at a notoriously tricky hole. That’s worth more than a shot on the field, certainly in terms of building confidence. He’s suddenly -1 and that old Rory spring is back in his step.
Gary Woodland nearly escapes with par at 9 after hitting the lip of a fairway bunker with his second. He slips back to -3. But his playing partner Brooks Koepka rolls in a 12-foot saver to remain at -5. However the third member of this marquee group of last year’s major winners, Shane Lowry, has been going backwards, sadly: bogeys at 8 and 9 and he’s back where he started at -2.
It’s Daniel Berger’s turn to get within millimetres of eagle at 10. Like Day before him, he’s found the green in two; his putt’s half the distance though. From 30 feet, he rolls it straight at the cup, the ball stopping half an inch short. Agonising, but that’s his third birdie of the day and he’s going along very nicely at -6.
Some miserable news from Wentworth, where the Rose Ladies Series Grand Final was suspended earlier today due to nearby wildfires. The organisers had hoped to pick up play again tomorrow morning, but although the fire services have got the situation under control, tomorrow’s forecast of more high temperatures constitutes an “ongoing fire risk” and “with a heavy heart” the course has to be closed tomorrow. That means the Grand Final restart is cancelled until further notice. They’re hopeful of getting this done in the next few weeks, but with the Scottish and British Opens coming up, it’ll now have to wait. Far from ideal ... but at least everyone is safe and healthy.
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Justin Thomas is looking for back-to-back wins on Tour, after last week’s dramatic success over Brooks Koepka at the WGC St Jude’s. What price the same mano-a-mano battle down the stretch come Sunday? Well, you’d probably get half-decent odds, on account of Thomas’s 72 yesterday. But he’s coming out of his shell slowly, following birdie at 4 with another at 7. He’s -1, and you wouldn’t bet too much against the 2017 champ, would you.
Bogey for Schauffele at the difficult long par-four 9th. He can’t get up and down from greenside sand, and he slips back to -5.
Day finds the par-five 10th easily in two. He sends a 70-foot eagle effort shaving the right side of the cup. That’s a wonderful putt and could so easily have dropped. But he’ll have to settle for birdie and a share of the lead. He’s alongside Li at -8 again.
An extremely quiet start by Justin Rose: six pars in a row. But he’s clapped his tee shot at 7 to the edge of the green. A gentle wedge up to kick-in distance and he’ll be moving to -5. Meanwhile it’s extremely unlikely that Jordan Spieth will complete his career slam this week, but he won’t want to miss the weekend. After yesterday’s 73, that was on the cards, but he’s just birdied 5 and 7 to get back to +1. He’s just inside the cut line as things stand; the projected cut is unlikely to move back in, given the wind’s picking up and the temperature is cooling.
Alex Noren is beginning to put something together. After holing a 50-yard bunker shot at 14, he’s just raked in a big putt across 15. Back-to-back birdies, and he’s -4. Another birdie for Daniel Berger, and he joins the group at -5 ... as does Tony Finau, who went close with an eagle putt from the fringe at 10 but is more than happy to make his birdie. There’s a spring in the big man’s step.
-8: Li (F)
-7: Day (9)
-6: Fleetwood (F), Schauffele (8)
-5: Champ (F), Casey (F), Todd (F), Berger (8), Koepka (7)
Day is up against the collar at the bottom of the swale down the back of 9. He flops up high, but still can’t stop his ball trundling 12 feet past the hole. He can’t make the putt coming back, always missing on the right, and it’s his first bogey of the day. But he’s still turning in 33, one off Li’s lead at -7.
Tyrrell Hatton was a hipsters’ choice coming into this tournament. Yesterday’s 72 put a stop to a lot of that chatter, though he’s doing pretty well to haul himself back into this. He’s just embarked on a run of three consecutive birdies, the latest a glorious two at the 17th, creaming his tee shot to a couple of feet. He’s level par for the tournament, and will be desperate for a good front nine ahead of Moving Day.
A huge break for Day, who sent his drive at 9 towards a fence down the left. But it’s not a course boundary, and so he’s entitled to relief. He gets line of sight relief as well, so gets a drop 15 yards back towards the hole. He doesn’t take full advantage, though, sending a hot second over the back of the green. He’ll do well to get up and down from there to save his par. Meanwhile bogey for McIlroy on 5, punishment for a wild tee shot that forced him to chip out sideways from the trees. He’s +1 and flirting with missing the cut. Another dropped shot and he’ll be in real bother.
Koepka shoves his par putt to the right, the ball never threatening to drop. He slips back to -5, looking a gift horse in the mouth, having been handed a way out of the trees after a comically wild drive.
A par for the co-leader Day on the extremely difficult par-three 8th. He’s more than happy to get through that test unscathed. Meanwhile on 6, Koepka finds a route between trees to lash an iron into the heart of the green from nowhere. This would be a grand escape ... but he rushes on overly aggressive birdie putt from 30 feet eight past. A test coming back.
Slapstick shenanigans on 6, where Koepka sends a wild slice towards the trees down the right. Back on 4, Tiger and Rory both let decent birdie opportunities slip by. But up on 7, Day makes another one from ten feet, and joins Li at the top of the leaderboard.
-8: Li (F), Day (7)
-6: Fleetwood (F), Schauffele (6), Koepka (5)
-5: Champ (F), Casey (F), Todd (F), Lorenzo-Vera (2)
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Lowry chalks up his second birdie of the day, this time at 5. The Open champ is going along nicely at -4, coming off the back of 67-67 last weekend, rounds that earned him a tie for sixth at the WGC St Jude.
Schauffele whipcracks his approach at 6 straight at the flag. It lands softly, taking one gentle bounce forward and stopping a couple of feet from the flag. If that. He’ll be making his birdie to move to -6. His near-namesake Scheffler is heading the other way, though; bogey at 9 means he’s turning in 36. He’s -3.
-8: Li (F)
-7: Day (6)
-6: Fleetwood (F), Schauffele (6), Koepka (4)
Another birdie for Brooks Koepka, who reaches the side of the Homeric par-five 4th in two easy slashes. A chip and a putt, and the defending champ is two off the lead at -6.
A bit of trouble for Rory at the par-three 3rd, as he shoves his tee shot into thick bother to the right of the green. He wants a ruling, claiming a steward ... or was it a broadcaster? ... stood on his ball accidentally. Yep! He’s got a chance to recreate his original lie, and the official is happy with the placement. But Rory isn’t. “I wouldn’t be comfortable hitting that, it wasn’t such a good lie initially.” What sportsmanship. He places the ball in a much worse position, and it’s one of those times when the inherent honesty golf is built on makes the heart swell. Take it away, and all is lost! Karma dictates he gets up and down as reward for his stringent morals, but having flopped to 20 feet, his par saver stops one roll short. Such a shame. He’s back to level par. And Tiger slips to -1, unable to get up and down from sand, an avoidable bogey given the relatively easy bunker shot he had.
The wind is expected to pick up during the afternoon, so players will hope to make hay while the sun shines. To this end, Shauffele’s shoulders droop a little as a birdie chance shaves the hole at 5. He remains at -5.
Birdie at 4 for one of the USA’s great young hopes Collin Morikawa. Having shot 69 yesterday, he rises to -2. “Dearest Scott,” begins Mac Millings. “Did you really (8.32pm) only have bread and water? Wot no Hamburger Helper?” Thing is, I’ve only got one box of Helper, the only food-flavored food product marketed by a talking golf glove, left. You can only fit so many into a suitcase when coming back from a Stateside trip, unless you throw away all your clothes, which believe me I’ve considered. So I’m saving it for a special occasion. Thanksgiving, perhaps. Christmas Day, maybe. Or most likely Sunday at the Masters. Raise a glass for me the next time you’re shovelling some down, will you.
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Li most certainly will not be taking the 36-hole lead for granted. Holding onto it looks unlikely right now, because it’s back-to-back birdies for Jason Day, who clips his second at 5 to six feet and tidies up with businesslike briskness. He strides off with great purpose. The 2015 champion, back in form after a long dip, appears to be in the mood to make up for lost time.
Birdie for Xander Schauffele at 4, his first of the day. The young Californian with a wonderful record in the majors already - six top-ten finishes in his first 11 starts - moves to -5. A bit of a group of afternoon starters forming near the top of the leaderboard, waiting to pounce. Li Haotong won’t be taking the 36-hole lead for granted.
-8: Li (F)
-6: Fleetwood (F), Day (4)
-5: Champ (F), Casey (F), Todd (F), Finau (5), Schauffele (4), Koepka (3)
Some belated news of Rickie Fowler, who for a wee while looked to have revived his title bid. Sadly he hacked his way up 6 en route to a double bogey. Another dropped shot at 8 meant he finished with a 69, not a disaster in and of itself but no good when coupled with yesterday’s 73. He’s +2 and may well be going home later tonight.
An ideal start for McIlroy, who knocks in his birdie putt to immediately move into credit at -1. Neither Woods nor Thomas can guide their efforts in, and they remain at -2 and +1 respectively.
Kim Si-woo already has the unofficial fifth major, the Players Championship, under his belt. He won that back in 2017 as a 21-year-old, becoming the championship’s youngest-ever winner. He’s just completed his second round, playing the front nine in 33 to sign for a 68. Filed alongside yesterday’s 69, the 25-year-old South Korean is in good nick at -3 going into the weekend.
Jason Day opens his second-round birdie account on the par-five 4th, stroking in a 15-foot putt. He’s now in a share of second with Tommy Fleetwood at -6. Meanwhile back on 1, Thomas, Woods and McIlroy pepper the flag with their approaches. Thomas is a little unlucky to see his ball bounce off at an odd angle to snag in the fringe, but he’s not far from the hole and he’ll have a good chip-in chance.
Woods is playing with Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas. McIlroy’s opening 70 could have been a hell of a lot worse, especially after that 5-5-5 run of bogeys early in the round. But he’s still very much in with a shout if he can conjure something up today. The opening drive is larruped down the track. Thomas, winner of the WGC St Jude last weekend and the new world number one, makes it three out of three, and he’ll be hoping to recover from yesterday’s post-victory hangover round of 71.
Tony Finau, having birdied the opening hole, knocks his third at the par-five 4th to a couple of feet. In goes the putt, and he’s started fast, rising in short order to -5. Meanwhile back on the 1st tee, news of another relatively well known big hitter: it’s Tiger! Yesterday’s 68 was his lowest round in a major since 2012, and he looks in the mood again today, clipping his tee shot straight down the middle, not even bothering to look where it ended up. He knew alright.
Scottie Scheffler dropped a stroke at the opening hole, but he’s bounced back to -4 with birdie at 5. The 2010 champ Martin Kaymer couldn’t recover from his errant opening tee shot, dropping a stroke at 1; he’s since parred 2 and 3 to remain at -3.
A par at 9 for Paul Casey, and he signs for an excellent 67. He goes into the weekend at -5, currently tied third. Birdie for Daniel Berger at 2; he’s -4. A steady start for Jason Day: three pars. And back on 1, after Gary Woodland makes his par to remain at -3, Lowry knocks in his short birdie putt, and Koepka follows him again. They’re -3 and -5 respectively.
-8: Li (F)
-6: Fleetwood (F)
-5: Champ (F), Casey (F), Todd (F), Day (3), Koepka (1)
The Open champ Shane Lowry smashes his opening drive 325 yards down the 1st. A gentle wedge to six feet. The defending PGA champion Brooks Koepka matches his first two shots. Big birdie chances for both players coming up.
A disappointing end to Bryson DeChambeau’s round. Bogey on 9 and he’ll have to make do with a level-par 70. Back in 37, it’s a round that offered more. He’s -2. Elsewhere, for the second day running, Brendon Todd knocks in a missable par putt on the final green, this time the 18th, and he signs for a 70 to go with yesterday’s 65. He remains at -5.
It’s a 69 for Jon Rahm too. He’s been patchy as hell so far this week, never able to get any real momentum going, but he’ll be here for Moving Day for sure. A 69 today to follow yesterday’s 70. He’s -1.
Thanks Tom. Back just in time to see Lefty ... possibly ... save himself from the cut. Bogeys at 6 and 8 looked to have cooked his goose, but a tramliner on the last for an absurd birdie means he’s signing for a 69 and he ends the day at +1. That’s one shot too many at the minute ... but there’s plenty of time for the picture to change.
Cameron Champ isn’t far off a birdie at 18 but a par score keeps him right in contention and in the groove, matching Fleetwood’s 64.
Back at the 1st, Jason Day, who put himself nicely among the leading pack yesterday, underhits his birdie putt but gets his par. And with that I’ll hand you back to a well-nourished Scott. Bye.
-8: Li (F)
-6: Fleetwood (F*)
-5: Casey (*16), Day (1), Champ (F), Todd (17)
-4: Griffin (F*), Scheffler, Kaymer, Schauffele, Cauley, Z Johnson, Koepka, Rose, Steele, Lorenzo-Vera, Finau (1)
Updated
Tommy Fleetwood signs for a stunning second-round 64, which is still the best round of the event so far, though Champ could yet match it. Fleetwood is looking mighty composed for a man who’s not played much competitive golf in recent months.
And he’s just shared his thoughts on Sky. “The conditions were easier to start with today, yesterday I had a bad couple of holes on 12 and 13 and that halted progress but today I got all my shots away, I hit a lot of fairways and that clearly makes it easier. I’ve learnt a lot from going away and coming back and you don’t realise how sharp you are sometimes when you’re playing 30 times a year. I’m not gonna say I’m playing the best I’ve ever played or am the sharpest I’ve ever been but it’s coming back.”
Fleetwood pushes his birdie putt on the 9th just too far to the left – and misses a chance for the outright lowest round of the week so far. Fowler, at the ninth and two over, needs a birdie and gives himself a chance with a clean straight drive from the tee. Back at the start, Kaymer hacks his first tee shot too far out wide – an inauspicious start for the 2010 champion who was in good nick yesterday.
-8: Li (F)
-6: Fleetwood (17*)
-5: Casey (*15), Day, Champ (17)
-4: Griffin (F*), Todd (15), Scheffler, Kaymer, Schauffele, Cauley, Z Johnson, Koepka, Rose, Steele, Lorenzo-Vera
Ouch. Casey sends a presentable birdie just wide of the flag on the sixth – he knows he should have done better with that, while Cameron Champ records back to birdies to move onto five-under overall with two holes to play. One to watch on moving day. Inevitably, attention is on Tiger who’s just strode out to the practice area – he’s due out in about an hour.
Updated
Fleetwood deftly chips from some tricky thicker stuff onto the green to stay on course for par, which he makes, while De Chambeau, facing a tricky approach betwixt bunkers to the green on the 7th, chips a tremendous shot to the foot of the green and puts himself within reach of the pin before sending a flawless uphill putt into the hole for birdie.
-8: Li (F)
-6: Fleetwood (17*)
-5: Casey (*14), Day
-4: Griffin (F*), Todd (14), Scheffler, Kaymer, Schauffele, Cauley, Z Johnson, Koepka, Rose, Steele, Lorenzo-Vera
Updated
Thanks Scott. Evening/afternoon everyone. And I join you as Rickie Fowler delicately has to remove a bee from his ball and after that display of respect for his natural surroundings sends his second shot on the 7th to the edge of the green. The on-song Fleetwood, on the par-three 8th, pushes his first drive slightly out left but should be good for par at least.
A second bogey in four holes for DeChambeau, the result of hoicking a drive towards the trees again. He’s back where he started the day at -2. Meanwhile Fleetwood sends his drive to the side of the short par-four 7th. A chip and a putt, and he’s two off the lead!
-8: Li (F)
-6: Fleetwood (16*)
-5: Casey (12*), Day
-4: Griffin (F), Todd (13), Scheffler, Kaymer, Schauffele, Cauley, Z Johnson, Koepka, Rose, Steele, Lorenzo-Vera
And with that, I’m off for a delicious repast of bread and water. While I’m munching down that treat, Tom Davies will show you the way. See you in an hour!
Harold Varner III, in the final pairing on Sunday at Bethpage Black last year, may have another PGA tilt in mind. He was going nowhere in particular, +2 overall through 13 today. But he’s just finished with four birdies in the last five holes, the last thanks to a 25-footer on 18, and he’s signing for a 66. He’s -2, and after yesterday’s average 72, right back in this!
Todd gives himself a great chance of escaping from 13 with par, sending a wedge from 100 yards over the flag and spinning back to ten feet. That’s a marvellous effort. But he stabs with uncharacteristic uncertainty at the par saver, and it’s a bogey that topples him back to -4. Meanwhile on 6, Fleetwood takes two putts from 70 feet for his par. He stays at -5. And word of Rickie Fowler, who is playing with DeChambeau and was faffing around in the trees at the same time. Having left his drive up against the base of a trunk, he was forced to bash back out onto the fairway, but only managed it after hitting the trunk with his backswing. A fortunate one, or great improvisation on the downswing, take your pick. He escaped with par, anyway, and remains at -1.
DeChambeau lashes his drive up a tree at 5. For a second, it doesn’t look as though the ball’s going to drop. But fall it does, and he manages to scramble his par, though he requires a nerveless 12-footer to make it. He stays at -3. Meanwhile up on 13, Todd flays his drive into thick oomska down the left, and is only able to hack back out on the fairway. He’ll require an up-and-down from distance to save his par.
Lanto Griffin also reaches the clubhouse in high spirits. He’s signing for his second 68 of the week, and will go into Moving Day nicely placed at -4. More putting woes for Patrick Reed, meanwhile, as a short birdie effort lips out on 7. He remains at -3, and has the fume on.
Todd tidies up without fuss or nerves. He’ll take some beating this week if he keeps putting like this. Two putts from 70 feet was hardly a shoo-in. He remains at -5. Meanwhile Li’s outside chance of a birdie on 18 slides by the left of the cup and he’ll happily take a par that seals a superb 65. He’ll go into the weekend in fine fettle; he may well be still leading if nobody in the afternoon launches a charge. Brilliant from the young Chinese star!
-8: Li (F)
-5: Fleetwood (14*), Casey (12*), Todd (12), Day
Updated
Another birdie for Cameron Champ, who continues to barge his way up the leaderboard. This one comes at 12, and he’s -3 overall. Brendon Todd only just gets onto the front of the long par-four 12th, and leaves himself a 70-foot two-putt for par. The first stops three feet wide right, and will be a knee-knocker. And on 18, Li whips his approach over the flag and onto the top tier of the green, from where he’ll have an outside chance of birdie from 20 feet.
Li appears happy to keep hold of what he’s got. His tee shot at 17 safely finds the heart of the green, but a good 30 feet from the flag. He bundles the putt up to kick-in distance, and remains three clear at -8. Meanwhile DeChambeau makes par at the long par-five 4th, and looks slightly disappointed, having belted his drive into deep filth, a shot that nixed his birdie bid from the get-go. He stays at -3. And a clumsy three-putt bogey for Reed on 6. He drops back to -3.
Todd sends his tee shot at 11 over the back of the green. His chip is heavy handed, and he’s left with a tricky five-footer coming back. You’ve seen these missed. But he tidies up to save his par. He’s made a couple of those shaky ones this week, not least on the 9th last night, when it would have been so easy to shed a shot from 12 feet. Precious putts, and he remains at -5 ... alongside Fleetwood, who bounces back from his bogey at 2 with birdie at 4!
-8: Li (16)
-5: Fleetwood (13*), Casey (10*), Todd (10), Day
The leader Li sends his tee shot at the short par-four 16th into thick nonsense down the right. But he wedges from 80 yards to 15 feet, and nearly curls in the putt. However the birdies seem to have dried up. Just a par, though that’s his sixth in a row, and there’s still no blemish on his card today. He’ll take two more for a 65 to go alongside his opening round of 67.
Paul Casey rolls in a 35-foot birdie putt on 1 to grab a share of second place. He’s -5, alongside Brendon Todd, who makes a slightly disappointing par on the inviting par-five 10th, the result of pulling his second, a hybrid, into thick stuff down the left. That’s almost like giving a shot to the field.
Who’s this coming up quietly on the rail? Why it’s 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed, who shot a relatively uneventful 68 yesterday, and is on track to post something similar today. Having played the back nine in 34, he’s just birdied 4 to move menacingly to -4. He doesn’t seem to be using up too much emotional energy, certainly when compared with the more knockabout rounds being put together by your Fleetwoods and DeChambeaus. That might stand him in good stead come the weekend, when the ability to dig deep comes at a premium.
A wild tee shot down the left of 6 costs Griffin a shot. He slips out of a share of second, back to -4. Meanwhile huge-hitting US youngster Cameron Champ, having played the front nine in 33 strokes, birdies 10 to move to -2 overall. Champ is second on the list for driving distance this season, trailing only a certain Bryson DeChambeau. No wonder the two are doing so well, on a course that, despite its tight nature, seems to be fertile ground for the big boomers.
Apologies to Tommy Fleetwood for mentioning the dream of a major-championship 61. Fate having been thus tempted, he drops a stroke at 2, the result of leaving his second stroke short of the green. He slips back to -4. That’s his first bogey of the day. Bah. Li Haotong avoids that particular fate by getting up and down from greenside rough at 15. He’d been in trouble after playing it safe off the tee with an iron, only to find a fairway bunker. A delicate bump and run from 50 feet, followed by a staunch four-foot putt, saved his par.
-8: Li (15)
-5: Griffin (14*), Todd (9), Day
-4: Fleetwood (11*), DeChambeau (10*), Casey (9*), Scheffler, Kaymer, Schauffele, Cauley, Z Johnson, Koepka, Rose, Steele, Lorenzo-Vera
Scotland’s great new hope, 24-year-old Robert MacIntyre from Oban, carded a very forgettable 73 yesterday. But he looks determined to taste weekend action at the PGA, and having birdied 16, 18 and now 3, he’s back to level par, head above the projected cut line. Rickie Fowler continues to head in the correct direction, as well; having turned in 32, he’s just birdied 1 to rise to -1. A maiden major this week remains an achievable goal.
Lanto Griffin sends his second at 5 to four feet. It’s back-to-back birdies for the 32-year-old Californian, who has had a very fine season on the PGA Tour already, with his maiden win at the Houston Open and a couple more top-ten finishes. Hey, folk mature at different rates. Previously something of a journeyman, he’s currently three off the lead in the first major of 2020.
-8: Li (14)
-5: Griffin (14*), Fleetwood (10*), Todd (8), Day
-4: DeChambeau (9*), Casey (8*), Scheffler, Kaymer, Schauffele, Cauley, Z Johnson, Koepka, Rose, Steele, Lorenzo-Vera
This is as good as anything Li’s done today. A wild drive down the left of 14 finds a snagged lie. Always scrambling from there, he faces a nine-footer to keep his card blemish free. And in goes the putt, never missing. The par keeps him three clear at the top. This is magnificent fun!
-8: Li (14)
-5: Fleetwood (10*), Todd (7), Day
-4: Griffin (13*), DeChambeau (9*), Casey (8*), Scheffler, Kaymer, Schauffele, Cauley, Z Johnson, Koepka, Rose, Steele, Lorenzo-Vera
Fleetwood continues to tear up Harding Park. He whistles his second at 1 to eight feet, and in goes another birdie putt. We said it earlier for Li, so we might as well repeat ourselves: just another four birdies (!) and he’ll be signing for a men’s major-championship record of 61. OK, so he’s still got quite a way to go before we can start seriously considering this possibility. But what’s the point of watching sport if we’re not allowed to dream? Exactly. it’s on! He’s -5.
DeChambeau has been enjoying himself, impervious to pressure so far this week. He was calmness personified when the shaft of his driver splintered yesterday, an accident that would have knocked plenty off their stride. He simply replaced the broken shaft - all within the rules - and kept on swinging hard and true. He’s beginning to make his move today, sending his second at 18 to 12 feet, then nailing the putt. He’s -4 overall, and so far justifying all the pre-tournament hype.
Back-to-back birdies for Rahm, who sent his tee shot at 17 to 15 feet, and guided a right-to-left curler into the cup. He’s -2. Meanwhile another birdie for Lanto Griffin, this time at 4, and he joins the group at -4. And Hideki Matsuyama, another major champion in waiting who’s been waiting a little too long, follows birdie at 10 with a glorious approach at 18 from 160 yards to five feet. Another birdie, and he’s -2 overall after yesterday’s 70.
-8: Li (13)
-5: Todd (7), Day
-4: Griffin (13*), Fleetwood (9*), Casey (6*), Scheffler, Kaymer, Schauffele, Cauley, Z Johnson, Koepka, Rose, Steele, Lorenzo-Vera
Good news from Wentworth, where it’s confirmed that nobody has been hurt by the nearby wildfire. Back in San Fran, Li very nearly drains a 60-foot monster on 13 after an average approach. Almost perfectly judged, the ball stops one turn from the hole. He taps in to remain at -8, three clear at the top.
Fleetwood hits the turn in 31 strokes! His second into 18 is bang average, and he faces a snaking right-to-left-then-back-again 40-footer for his birdie. No problem! In it serenely drops. He allows a vague smile to play across his face, and he’s right in this now at -4. And like Li before him, a very low round is a distinct possibility.
Rahm makes his birdie at the take-what-you-want short 16th. But he’d dropped a shot at 14, so momentum remains elusive for the young Spaniard. Nevertheless he’s -1, and far from out of it. And on that subject, how about this from Rickie Fowler?! Handsome? Tick. Popular? Tick. Able to carry off a moustache without looking ridiculous? Tick. Major championship? Ah. He’d be a fairytale choice, wouldn’t he, though the jig already looked up after yesterday’s spluttering 73. But he started out this morning with birdies at 10 and 11, and now he’s returned himself to level par with another at 17, reward for sticking his tee shot to four feet. It’s got to happen sometime, surely. Why not this week?
Back-to-back birdies for Phil Mickelson, at 15 and 16. That draws him back up to level par, above the projected cut line of +1. But never mind missing the cut; he’ll still be harbouring hopes of erasing Julius Boros from the record books as oldest men’s major winner. Boros won this tournament in 1968 as a 48-year-old. Lefty is - where did all the time go? and we never played enough golf! - 50.
Brendon Todd sheds a shot at 6. It’s punishment for a greenside wedge coming out of the rough hot, and flying 20 feet past the flag. He’s back to where he started the morning: -5.
DeChambeau flips his long sand shot at 16 to five feet. He’s left with a slightly tricky downhill dribbler, but he makes it without too much fuss and in goes the birdie putt. He’s -3; can he avoid handing this stroke straight back to the field this time? Meanwhile Li has a 20-foot birdie putt slide inches to the right on 12. The leader remains at -8 and in full control of his game.
Another birdie for Tommy Fleetwood! He was close to making eagle at the aforementioned short par-four 16th, finding the green with his tee shot. But couldn’t drain the 20-footer he’d left himself, and had to settle for birdie. There are worse disappointments. He’s -3 for both round and championship.
It’s been a bit stop-start for the undoubted star of yesterday’s afternoon wave, Bryson DeChambeau. Birdie at 10; bogey at 12. Birdie at 13; bogey at 15. He remains at -2, slightly frustrated, and he’s not really cheered when he fizzes his hybrid into a greenside bunker from the 16th tee. The PGA have moved the tee forward so this par-four is a real eagle chance at just 285 yards. DeChambeau won’t be particularly pleased to have tugged that one into the sand, from where an up and down is no gimme. On the plus side - and perhaps inspired by Tommy Fleetwood’s 1969 Lennon get-up yesterday - he’s come dressed as Mike Love of the Beach Boys, bright red shirt with white flashes and floppy white cap. Throw in the Crazy World of Arthur Brown tribute at Wentworth, and we’ve got a full-blown Sixties revival on our hands here.
There is no stopping Li Haotong! He makes easy work of the accessible par-five 10th. His fifth birdie of the day, and he’s beginning to put together something special. We may as well broach the subject, because we’re all thinking it: four more birdies, and he’ll be on for a 61, which would be a men’s major-championship record. That’s currently held by Branden Grace of South Africa, whose record-breaking 62 was shot at the 2017 Open at Birkdale, 24 hours before Li himself matched the old record with a 63. Meanwhile overnight co-leader Brendon Todd makes his first birdie of the day at 4, so the gap at the top remains two strokes.
-8: Li (10)
-6: Todd (4)
-5: Day
-4: Casey (5*), Scheffler, Kaymer, Schauffele, Cauley, Z Johnson, Koepka, Rose, Steele, Lorenzo-Vera
JT Poston’s second-round nightmare continues. He’s having the Bizarro Li front nine, following up aforementioned bogeys at 1 and 2 with more at 6 and 8. He’s tumbled down as far as +1, and already flirting with the cut (currently predicted at +1). Should the worst happen, he’ll have bonus time to prepare for his defence of the Wyndham next week.
A positive start for Jon Rahm, too. The 25-year-old Spaniard, one of the hot pre-tournament favourites, did well to card a level-par 70 after a highly erratic and emotional round, during which he used words such as “eff” and “Jeff”, and whacked a TV microphone to kingdom come. Birdie at 10 this morning, and he’s currently -1 for both round and tournament through four holes.
Bouncing Back (#4 in an ongoing series): Tommy Fleetwood was going along nicely yesterday, three under through 11, before a bogey-double bogey whammy sent him crashing back down to level par. A birdie-bogey trade-off on the last two holes did little to lighten his mood. He was dressed, incidentally, as John Lennon on the cover of Abbey Road, head to toe in white, locks streaming down his back. Hopefully he’s not decided to go barefoot today, a la Paul McCartney, though if he has, these early birdies at 10 and 14 are even more impressive. He’s -2.
Typical! You wait 58 minutes for an updated leaderboard, then two come along at once. Li Haotong sends a booming 310-yard drive at 9 into the rough down the right, but lashes his second from 210 yards to 12 feet. In goes the birdie putt, and he’s absolutely torn up the front nine, hitting the turn in four-under 31. This is statement golf.
-7: Li (9)
-5: Todd (3), Day
-4: Casey (3*), Scheffler, Kaymer, Schauffele, Cauley, Z Johnson, Koepka, Rose, Steele, Lorenzo-Vera
Bouncing Back (#3 in an ongoing series): Another birdie for Paul Casey! This one comes at 12, the long converted par-four, where he skelped his second into the heart of the green from 220 yards, then sinked a 25-footer to move to -4. Meanwhile the overnight co-leader Brendon Todd has come out in an altogether more calm fashion, parring the first three holes. Any old excuse to update the leaderboard, huh.
-6: Li (8)
-5: Todd (3), Day
-4: Casey (3*), Scheffler, Kaymer, Schauffele, Cauley, Z Johnson, Koepka, Rose, Steele, Lorenzo-Vera
Bouncing Back (#2 in an ongoing series): Late last night, Matt Wallace played one of the shots of the day from a bunker to the front-left of 18. Scooping up onto the elevated green, over another bunker, he landed his ball six feet from the flag. However he rather ruined the effect by missing the par putt. He signed for a slightly underwhelming 71 as a result. But he’s come flying out of the traps this morning, making birdie at 10 and 11 to fly up to -1 for the championship.
Paul Casey finished in miserable fashion late last night. A double-bogey six at the 18th soured an otherwise fine round of 68. The Englishman has done extremely well, therefore, to shake off disappointment that will have ruined his evening, no doubt. A belated bounceback birdie, at his first hole of the morning, the 10th, and he’s right in the mix at -3. Casey really should have won a major by now, though there are question marks over his ability to cope with pressure; he’s made an unfortunate habit at the big tournaments of carding three world-class rounds plus one incongruous hope-shattering stinker. At 43, there’s still time to right some wrongs.
Back to San Francisco, where Lanto Griffin has just made his third birdie of the morning, at 16, to rise to -4. The 32-year-old Floridian has no record whatsoever in the majors, barring one missed cut at the 2018 US Open, but he did register his first PGA Tour win of his career earlier this season, at the Houston Open last October. He’s had a couple of top-ten finishes since, too, in Hawaii and at Pebble Beach, the latter suggesting he might have a taste for golf in the Golden State.
In fact play has been suspended for the day at Wentworth. It will resume at 9.30am tomorrow.
From California to Surrey, and some shocking scenes at Wentworth this afternoon. A wildfire has broken out on Chobham Common, adjacent to the 12th hole of the West Course. That’s caused play at the Rose Ladies Series Grand Final to be suspended as the course is evacuated. Nearby Sunningdale has also been closed. The fire services are in attendance.
Play at golf's #RoseLadiesGrand Final has been suspended due to a fire at Wentworth.pic.twitter.com/otCAyIFV94
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 7, 2020
California-born Kurt Kitayama is on home turf, even though he plies his trade on the European Tour. The 27-year-old won twice on his rookie year in Europe, and made his major-championship debut in this tournament at Bethpage Black last year, finishing in a tie for 64th. He fills himself up with sweeties the night before every round, a superstition that looked to be working out well for him this morning when he birdied 4 and 5 to rise to -5, at that point in proceedings a shot off the lead. But all sugar rushes wear off eventually, and he’s bogeyed 6 and 7 to slip back to his -2 starting position. This reminds me, I’ve got a packet of Percy Pigs somewhere. Back in a minute!
This morning’s early starters had the worst of the conditions yesterday afternoon. They should benefit from the field switcheroo today. The likes of Bryson DeChambeau, Adam Scott and Viktor Hovland did extremely well to shoot 68 in the slightly more testing - and certainly more windy - weather. So they’ll be hoping to make ground on the field this morning, with the wind expected to pick up later on yet again. All three of the aforementioned have made birdie at the par-five 10th, the easiest hole on the course yesterday; all three are now -3.
Heading in the other direction early this morning: JT Poston. The 27-year-old from North Carolina couldn’t get up and down from sand at the 1st, then failed to scramble from greenside rough at the second. A bogey-bogey start, and he slips back to -1. Poston won the Wyndham last year with a final round 62; perhaps his energies will be better kept in reserve for the defence of his title at the Sedgefield CC in Greensboro next week.
Things can change very quickly in golf, as any weekend hacker who has recently made two birdies in three holes before taking 10 on a par three can attest. No names, no pack drill. Anyway, there’s already a new leader of the 2020 PGA Championship. Li Haotong, still best remembered for his final-day 63 at Birkdale in the 2017 Open, has sunk a couple of big putts this morning. Birdies at 1, 2 and now 5 have catapulted him to the top of the standings.
-6: Li (5)
-5: Day, Todd
-4: Scheffler, Kaymer, Schauffele, Cauley, Z Johnson, Koepka, Rose, Steele, Lorenzo-Vera
Preamble
It’s going to be another long day, so let’s just get straight down to business. Here’s how the top of the leaderboard looked like at the end of the opening round ...
-5: Day, Todd
-4: Scheffler, Kaymer, Schauffele, Cauley, Z Johnson, Koepka, Rose, Steele, Lorenzo-Vera
-3: Finau, Kisner, Berger, Woodland, Noren, Lewis, Li, Poston
-2: Harman, Lowry, Wiesberger, Woods, Mitchell, Kitayama, Griffin, Hadwin, Reed, Hovland, DeChambeau, Scott, Casey
... and here are the second-round tee times. (USA unless stated; times all local, add eight hours for UK time)
Starting at hole 1 ...
0700 Kurt Kitayama, Bob Sowards, Richy Werenski
0711 Haotong Li (Chn), Ben Cook, Jorge Campillo (Spa)
0722 Byeong-Hun An (Kor), Talor Gooch, Sungjae Im (Kor)
0733 Joaquin Niemann (Chi), JT Poston, Harold Varner III
0744 Ken Tanigawa, Emiliano Grillo (Arg), Cameron Tringale
0755 Jim Furyk, Brian Stuard, Billy Horschel
0806 Jazz Janewattananond (Tha), Matt Jones (Aus), Kevin Streelman
0817 Jimmy Walker, Davis Love III, Keegan Bradley
0828 Denny McCarthy, Cameron Smith (Aus), Cameron Champ
0839 Troy Merritt, Wyndham Clark, Chan Kim
0850 Doc Redman, Jason Caron, Brendon Todd
0901 Jordan Gibb (Eng), Lucas Herbert (Aus), Mark Hubbard
0912 Shawn Warren, Marcus Kinhult (Swe), Adam Long
1230 Daniel Balin, Scottie Scheffler, Tom Hoge
1241 Mike Auterson, Rory Sabbatini (Svk), Nick Taylor (Can)
1252 Tony Finau, Danny Willett (Eng), Patrick Cantlay
1303 Jason Dufner, Martin Kaymer (Ger), Jason Day (Aus)
1314 Daniel Berger, Xander Schauffele, Steve Stricker
1325 Collin Morikawa, Henrik Stenson (Swe), Zach Johnson
1336 Gary Woodland, Brooks Koepka, Shane Lowry (Irl)
1347 Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose (Eng)
1358 Rory McIlroy (NIrl), Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas
1409 Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa), Max Homa, Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng)
1420 Abraham Ancer (Mex), Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Joohyung Kim (Kor)
1431 Corey Conners (Can), Zachary J Johnson, Chez Reavie
1442 Alex Knoll, Scott Piercy, Andrew Putnam
... and starting at hole 10 ...
0705 JR Roth, Tyler Duncan, Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Rsa)
0716 Lanto Griffin, Rich Berberian Jr., Joost Luiten (Ned)
0727 Jim Herman, Rob Labritz, Shaun Norris (Rsa)
0738 Brandt Snedeker, Adam Hadwin (Can), Xinjun Zhang (Chn)
0749 Kevin Na, Patrick Reed, Robert Macintyre (Sco)
0800 Bubba Watson, Matthew Wolff, Graeme McDowell (NIrl)
0811 Viktor Hovland (Nor), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn)
0822 Rickie Fowler, Bryson DeChambeau, Adam Scott (Aus)
0833 Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm (Spa), Sergio Garcia (Spa)
0844 Paul Casey (Eng), Ian Poulter (Eng), Webb Simpson
0855 Matt Wallace (Eng), Matt Kuchar, Marc Leishman (Aus)
0906 Sepp Straka (Aut), Ryan Vermeer, Si Woo Kim (Kor)
0917 Justin Bertsch, Sebastian Munoz (Col), Benjamin Hebert (Fra)
1225 Jeff Hart, Brian Harman, Cheng-Tsung Pan (Tai)
1236 Andrew Landry, Rod Perry, Nate Lashley
1247 John O’Leary (Irl), Sung Kang (Kor), Dylan Frittelli (Rsa)
1258 Erik Van Rooyen (Rsa), Russell Henley, Carlos Ortiz (Mex)
1309 Ryan Palmer, Kevin Kisner, Michael Thompson
1320 Bud Cauley, Lucas Glover, Tyrrell Hatton (Eng)
1331 Alex Beach, Rich Beem, Shaun Micheel
1342 Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spa), Jason Kokrak
1353 Bernd Wiesberger (Aut), Danny Lee (Nzl), Vaughn Taylor
1404 Matthias Schwab (Aut), Keith Mitchell, Brendan Steele
1415 Joel Dahmen, Luke List, Victor Perez (Fra)
1426 Mike Lorenzo-Vera (Fra), Marty Jertson, Tom Lewis (Eng)
1437 David Muttitt, Mackenzie Hughes (Can), Harris English
It’s on!
Updated
